IT WAS just two days ago, when commenting on tiny Ethan Currill and the lack of specialist facilities in Worcester to deal with premature births, this newspaper suggested a fresh look at reducing the need for local patients to travel elsewhere for treatment.

It is good to report today, therefore, that the go-ahead has been given for a new kidney dialysis centre in the city.

Councillors have granted planning permission for the new facility at the Great Western Business Park in Tolladine Road. The new centre, due to open in April, will be able to treat about 60 patients a week.

At the moment, anyone in Worcester who needs dialysis treatment has to travel to Birmingham, Hereford or Kidderminster. Dialysis sessions take around four hours and most patients need to receive the treatment three times a week.

That adds up to an awful lot of travelling for anyone in Worcester with chronic kidney failure – almost 200 people.

Planning permission was needed because the site is earmarked for business use. The decision by city councillors to grant permission was eminently sensible.

In these times of economic gloom and doom it is a pleasure to be able to report a good news story – and this is what this development undoubtedly is.

Our view is that it is better for the people of Worcester to have more of these specialised medical facilities, even if they are on a small scale.

Let us hope this is another step on the way towards a city that can deal with the health care needs of the majority of its population.